Check valve for mud jacks



Oct. 5, 1937. F. F. MUSSELMAN CHECK VALVE FOR MUD JACKS Filed Sept. 24, 1935 a 2 w y w 11 W. M a: V\ S Q Q Q Q 'Nmv I J U $7 A A W a M M a w y ..l -m a M i kw 3 db WN a a f. M M Mr A ,w ,dt I: I. l I /0 a a l- L W 2, m 5

Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES CHECK VALVE FOR MUD JACKS Fred F. Musselman, Leon, Iowa, assignor of one-half to Edwin L. Cain, Leon, Iowa Application September 24, 1935, Serial No. 41,925

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a check valve particularly adapted for use with a mud jack.

It is the object of :my invention to provide a check valve particularly constructed to fit into the commercial mud jack, and which will operate efficiently under the conditions to which it is there subjected.

It is my object to provide a valve of the kind described, having a sliding valve member springpressed in one direction, mounted in a casing, the parts having such construction that the valve will handle grass and the like, which may be mixed with the mud.

Another of my objects is to provide a complete valve assembly which can be installed in standard commercial mud jacks in place of the valve assemblies now used therein.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my check valve for a mud jack, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of my valve installed in a mud jack.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the valve.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the valve casing with the valve therein.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the valve and the casing taken on the line 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. r

A mudjack is a machine used for pumping mud under pavement to raise low spots in the pavement. Dirt, preferably black loam where it is available, is mixed with water and pumped through a check valve to a discharge nozzle. In the machines now in use, great difficulty has been experienced in finding a check valve which would operate satisfactorily. Some gravel and chunks of mud and grass get into the mixture and interfere with the operation of the valve. My valve is so constructed as to eliminate these difficulties.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a part of the mud jack structure, including a passage indicated by the reference numeral it communicating with a chamber I I, having a discharge outlet !2.

My valve comprising a tubular casing l3, having a reduced, externally threaded, lower end l4 adapted to screw into the passage I5 between the passage Iii and the chamber ll. The upper end of the valve casing is reduced as at Hill, and has an externally threaded ring I6 brazed or other- Wise secured to it. This ring screws into the opening II in the top of the chamber I I.

The valve casing is provided at the top with a screw cap l8, having a vent opening 59. The valve casing has in its side wall an outlet 20. outlet is wider at the top and tapered toward the lower end, as shown particularly in Figure 2. The parts are installed with the opening 20 toward the outlet l2 of the casing H.

The wall of the casing at the lower part of the opening 20 is beveled from the outside upwardly and inwardly as indicated at 2| to allow a sharp shearing edge at the inside.

The movable valve member is a piston 22, in the form of a cylindrical member open at its upper end and arranged to slide in the casing IS. The piston 22 is closed at its lower end and its under surface is preferably concave as indicated at 23.

A strong coil spring 24 is received within the end of the piston valve 22 and abuts against the screw cap I 8.

In the operation of the machine, the mud solution is pumped through the passage Ill in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1 and then passes upwardly through the lower end of the valve in the passage l 5, forcing the valve upwardly against the tension of the spring 24, compressing that spring and moving the valve to position where it allows the mud solution to pass out through the opening 20 in the passage I 2, toward the discharge nozzle not shown.

When the pressure of the pump, not shown, is down, the spring 24 forces the piston downwardly for closing the opening 20.

On the inside of the casing [3 just below the opening 20 are stops 25 having screw-threaded members 26 screwed into the wall of the casing as shown in Figure 5. These stops limit the downward movement of the piston 22.

A piston valve of this kind will not be held uns-eated, as does the ball valve ordinarily used in mud jacks.

One of the worst difiiculties experienced in mud jacks arises from the fact that the dirt used generally contains some grass or fibrous roots, which interfere with the operation of the check valve. In Figure 4, I have shown at 21 how grass or roots are likely to lodge almost anywhere in the path of the passage of the mud.

One of the worst places for the grass to lodge is where it interferes with the seating of the valve.

Where a valve of the kind herein disclosed is employed, if the grass lodges on the lower edge of the opening 20, it will be seen that when the This spring forces the valve downj-the valve will ordinarilyshear' the grass or roots, and on the dis-5 charge stroke ofl the 'pump that portion of the grass or'roots left in the valve or-in' the passage ID will be drivenout V a a a 'On account of thetapered lower end of the opening 20, it will be seen that even;if small bunches of'grass should lodge in the opening,

they will be so compressed as to leavea prac- 'tically tight joint. L e '7 c 'I have found by actual use of the 'valve that] s It is necessary if grass should thus lodge, the shape of the open-,

I ing is such that the grass is compactedand does, a r not materially interfere with the operation ofthe.v

machine.

3 with-Va valve of this kind, the cleaning ri's easily accomplished. The cap l8 can be taken off and 'jthe valve washed and the casing flushed, fafter eachdays operation to avoidleaving cak ed mud V onthe parts. i 1

'1: have-found that th e' substitution am we, instead of the valveused in a standard mud jack, increasesfthe capacity of the machine substantially. In a-specific instance; the increase was over 15%. 4

It will be obvious fromthe foregoing description that my valve is peculiarly adapted for'fitting into the parts of a standard machine, and that it will operate efiectively to accomplish-its pur-J pose. Some parts might bemodified, and it is my intention to-cover by my claim anymodification in structure or arrangement of partswhich a may be reasonably included within its scope and the scope of my invention.- e

I claim: 7

intake end an external annular shoulder anda' reduced threaded extension for forming a joint p with 'the' chamber-wall at such inlet,said casa j I ing' having an external annular shoulder spaced. 7 7 V in the use 'of a mud 'jack to clean the valve after every days operation, and a 715' from its opposite end ifor cooperatingiwith ajoint sealing meanssaid opposite end being adapted for projecting 'exteriorly" of said chamber, said i casing having in its wall anopening tapered to- Wardjits lower end with a'sharp inner edge at such tapered part, afstop below'such opening on i the interior of the :7 casing wall, a sleeve-like chamber'proper closed atone end slidable in the casing to cooperate with saidlast-named opening, a screw cap on said opposite end of the cas ring, and a coil spring received 'in such'sleeve-like a chamber proper and abutting against the inside oftheendofthecap. c"

FRED 

